When the World Falls Apart
by Book 'em Again
Summary: A widow after one night of marriage, Alia's life is a mess until a chance meeting with a beastly stranger changes everything. But when they become embroiled in a murder investigation, Alia must decide if she is willing to trust Five-O and the family she ran away from.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: This story is an epilogue to the episode "Engaged to Be Buried" and assumes that the reader is familiar with this episode._

_I grew up during the Disney renaissance so, needless to say, I have a soft spot in my heart for fairy tales. I have also enjoyed the works of professional writers such as Mercedes Lackey, Jim Hines and the creators of _"Once Upon a Time"_ who have chosen to retell these familiar tales with their own twists to create original stories. After deciding that this would be a good challenge for me, I have chosen to reimagine the story of _Beauty and the Beast_ set in the Five-O universe. While credit belongs to __Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve__ and Disney, please know that I do not follow either version of the fairy tale exactly as instead, I have chosen to take some familiar elements and weave them into a story where Beauty is just as broken and in need of healing and love as the Beast. I hope you enjoy my version of this tale as old as time._

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue: The Rose<strong>

_November 1970_

The music was jamming, the beer was flowing and Leon Forrest was on top of the world. Ever since he had returned an interception to score the winning touchdown against the Rainbow Warriors' biggest rival, Fresno State, school had come easy. Girls wanted him, he had an open invitation to any party on campus, and the teachers never said a word if he skipped a class or failed to turn in an assignment. Leon was a football star and enjoying every minute of it.

"Leon!"

Leon turned and saw his best friend Marshall coming toward him with a cup of beer in each hand.

"Looked like you needed a refill."

"Thanks, man," Leon replied before downing half the cup in one swallow; he planned on having fun tonight.

Throwing an arm around Marshall, Leon asked, "Do you see any girls you like?"

"You looking to get lucky?" Marshall asked jokingly.

"I'm always lucky," Leon bragged. The two friends often teased each other about girls even though they both knew that the other hardly ever spent a night alone when they went looking for female companionship. Not only were they starters for the University of Hawaii football team, they were handsome and they both knew it.

Marshall stared in the direction of a group of softball players. "I heard Emily broke up with Scott. That girl has the legs of an angel."

"Go for her." Leon pushed Marshall in Emily's direction and then finished his beer. When he went looking for another he bumped into the person behind him.

"Oh…" the woman stammered. "I'm so sorry."

Leon focused on the student; she was short, wore glasses and was wearing a dress that was way too modest for this party. She had attempted to put on make-up but it looked hideous on her, like someone had a painted on a doll. Though for some strange reason, Leon thought he had seen her before; she must be in one of his classes.

Leon started to walk away but the woman reached out and grabbed his arm. "Leon, wait! I want to talk to you." Looking back at her, Leon was about to tell her to go away but she starting speaking so fast he couldn't get a word in. "I saw you play against Fresno. I thought you were amazing. You are amazing in all of your games. Look, I just want to say I've really enjoyed being your lab partner in chemistry. I've been trying to work up the guts to approach you outside of class all semester."

As she talked, it slowly dawned on Leon that this girl liked him. Leon opened his mouth to assure her that the feeling was not mutual when she held out a rose and said, "I got this for you. Will you dance with me?"

Her eyes were so full of hope, her smile was so genuine and Leon was beyond annoyed at this interruption. He grabbed the rose, dropped it to the floor and crushed the petals with his foot. Then, looking straight into eyes that were beginning to tear, he made his point as cruelly as he knew how. "Where did you ever get the idea that a guy like me would ever go out with a freak like you?"

That solved his problem as the girl disappeared from sight as fast as she could run. Didn't she know that the only reason he tolerated her as a lab partner was because she did all the work?

Marshall called out from where he standing with one arm around Emily. "What was that about?"

"She actually thought I'd dance with a nerd like her."

When Marshall regained his ability to speak, he had to wipe tears from his eyes because he was laughing so hard. "She thought _you _would be into _her_?"

Leon rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it."

One of Emily's very good looking friends walked up and placed her hands on Leon's chest. "How would you like to dance with a real woman tonight?" she purred.

Leon smiled; he was definitely getting lucky tonight.

* * *

><p>Hung over and feeling like crap, Leon tried to figure out what in world had possessed him to come to chemistry class today. The gong ringing in his head drowned out any words that his professor was speaking and he definitely hadn't completed the assigned readings for the day. On top of that, his lab partner shot daggers at him as he approached their shared table.<p>

Leon had no idea what that could be about; he didn't even reminder the woman's name. She was smart and did most of the work without complaint, which was a perfect situation as far as he was concerned. But today was different for some reason. He tried to think what could have gotten her all worked up but his brain wasn't functioning properly.

When the instructions were over, his partner brought over some supplies and ordered, "Mix the solution like Professor Letestu said and I'll get the rest of what we need."

Before Leon could protest that he had no idea even what solution they were supposed to be making, she stormed off toward the stock room. This was a new development; he really should have skipped class today.

Not wanting to look stupid, Leon looked down at the table and saw that there were two test tubes with a chemical in each and an empty beaker. _This isn't difficult_, he thought as he picked up one test tube and emptied the contents into the beaker, followed by the second.

When the contents of the second test tube joined the first, it caused an immediate reaction. The liquid boiled and started to rapidly rise. Suddenly, the liquid starting flying out of the beaker and a large glob landed on his face.

The liquid burned; Leon screamed and moved about in pain, his hands knocking the safety glasses he had failed to wear from the table to the floor.

"What's going on here?" their professor cried out as he ran toward Leon.

"I don't know," his partner answered, "I went to get the rest of our supplies and this happened."

Leon wanted to shout that she was lying but he could do nothing but scream. He could feel the acid eating away at his skin as the professor dragged his body toward the emergency shower. The last thing Leon saw before he passed out from the pain was a large grin on the face of his lab partner. Suddenly, he remembered the rose and his refusal.

Leon's last coherent thought was that the bitch had done it on purpose.

* * *

><p>Time swirled together in a mixture of pain and drugs, bandages and doctors. Leon knew from the layers of gauze covering his face and the looks sent his way that the damage was bad. His friends from the university never came more than once. He didn't want them here. He didn't want to see anyone. He didn't want anyone to see how that freak had gotten the best of him.<p>

Weeks, months passed; Leon didn't know, he didn't care and the time came for the bandages to be removed. The nurse spoke smoothly as she cut the strips of gaze. She was honest but calm, trying to prepare him for what was coming. But nothing could have prepared Leon for the moment when the nurse held up a mirror for him to look.

The face that stared back at him was one of a beast.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Dreams Destroyed**

_March 1973_

All her dreams ended in blood.

Alia Vidalgo didn't have to close her eyes to remember the moment her husband was shot, to see the blood where the bullet had hit; to see the body around which, only moments before, she had wrapped her arms in love. The body of her husband, the man she loved more than any person in the world. The body of Rono Vidalgo.

One night. One night of marriage was all Alia was given before her husband was torn cruelly away from her. Shot by a friend of her father's. The same father who couldn't let her go to live her own life, who had never accepted Rono and never would, and who was glad that Rono was dead.

A father who was never there when Alia needed him but had no problem ruining her life when she wanted him to stay away.

Alia's father, Five-O Detective Chin Ho Kelly, made sure that her marriage to Rono ended in blood.

Blood…Alia looked down at the blood staining her underwear and tried her hold back the sobs that were threatening to overtake her.

For the past two weeks, Alia had managed to make it through each day by holding onto a glimmer of hope that perhaps their one night together would give her a child. And in that child the love that she and Rono shared would live on.

No husband. No child. Only blood.

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Alia rushed into the shower and turned on the water so that her siblings and parents wouldn't hear her cry. None of them understood. Not her, not her love for Rono. They would just pretend to be sympathetic but she knew that they were secretly happy that Rono was gone. Her mother would make tea and then make an appointment to see her therapist as if she had some medical problem the doctor would be able to cure.

None of her family would ever understand that Alia had married the only man whom she would ever love and that now their dreams of living a better life, of Rono becoming the man she always believed he could be, were gone forever.

Rono was dead. Five-O had killed him.

A knock on the bathroom door stopped her thoughts. Alia knew that it was her sister Suzy about to tell her that she needed to hurry up. So after quickly finishing her shower, Alia wrapped a towel around her body and disappeared into the bedroom that she shared with Suzy and Maria.

Throwing herself on her bed, Alia decided that there wasn't much point in moving. She didn't want to go to school and she didn't want to deal with her family. She just wanted to be left alone in her grief.

Fiddling with the wedding ring on her finger, Alia thought of Rono and imagined the joy that life would have been if he hadn't been killed. They would have left together. Rono could have taken them anywhere in his plane and they would have been free from both their fathers. Now Alia was trapped with a family who said they cared but didn't and was being forced to go back to school and finish her senior year.

Alia would have given anything to go back to that moment when it been just she and Rono flying in his plane – free.

But that was a moment Alia would never experience again.

However, while Alia would never again relive that moment, there was nothing that was forcing her to live with her family, to be reminded of what her father had done every time she saw him. She didn't have to stay here and pretend that everything was alright when, in reality, her world was falling apart.

Alia could leave. No, she _would _leave.

Decision made, Alia now found that she had the will to move and quickly got dressed. She hid the things she needed for school in her dresser and began filling her backpack with clothes and other essentials. Once the pack was filled, Alia realized that she still needed one important thing: money. She needed enough to get her out of Honolulu or preferably, off of Oahu. Alia knew that, because of her father's work in law enforcement, he would have willing spies all over the islands and she would need to get to the mainland if she truly wanted to disappear.

Alia wished that she still had her best friend to turn to. Pamela would have helped her, listened to her, understood her. But her best friend was dead and Rono had helped plant the bomb that had killed her. Before she had died, Pam had asked her if she could forgive Rono and Alia had. She had forgiven him a thousand times over since he had died. She understood how hard it had been for Rono to break free of his father. But he had broken free; he had left the life of crime behind to marry her. Rono had left it all behind because he loved her.

Her father never believed that either.

Instead, her father would point to how Rono had threatened her with a gun and how he had shot Father Jack. He would conveniently forget how Rono was forced to take such drastic measures because Five-O had showed up to kill him.

When Five-O had arrived, Rono's hand was forced; he had to make Five-O believe that he would kill his wife so the two of them could escape and live their life together. She had agreed to that plan. Father Jack's death was tragic, but it could have been avoided if only her father had let them be.

Chin Ho Kelly had stolen his daughter's husband, her future child and her happiness.

Nothing could ever make up for that but Alia would start by stealing the means to start her new life from the one who had stolen her life with Rono.

Flinging her backpack around her shoulders, Alia stepped out of her room and moved toward her parents' writing desk; no one was in the room and she could hear the sounds of her siblings eating in the kitchen. Quickly, Alia opened the top left draw where she knew her parents kept some cash for emergencies. Pulling out the envelope, she counted seventy-five dollars and stuffed it inside her backpack.

Then acting like nothing had happened, Alia entered the kitchen, grabbed a plate and helped herself to some breakfast, hoping to stay mostly unnoticed. Her mother gave her a cheerful 'good morning' to which Alia mumbled a reply. Breakfast passed without incident and then her mother announced that it was time to leave.

Alia watched as three of her siblings – Suzy, Maria and Gabriel – got on the bus to the local Junior and Senior High Schools and then quickly got in the back of her mother's car so she could be driven to Punahou School. Alia was the only one of her siblings to attend the private school; she remembered how proud her parents were when she had received the academic scholarship. Alia loved to learn but her heart was no longer in it. She no longer cared if she graduated. All her dreams had been destroyed with Rono's death.

All she was left with was blood.

* * *

><p>Four detectives gathered to discuss the politically volatile case before them. On the board where pictures of a man with a broken arm, x-rays, and photocopies of bank statements and other evidence. What should have been a straight forward case was being made difficult by the victim valuing his reputation over his safety. The State Senator's refusal to cooperate was frustrating, but Chin Ho Kelly had figured out a long time ago that police work would be a lot easier if there were no politicians.<p>

Steve McGarrett looked out at his men. "I spoke with Senator Bennett this morning and he still insists that his broken arm was the result of a riding accident."

"Even though," Danny Williams added, "we have his doctor's word that confirms that the break was caused by another human."

"Bennett's bank records show that he's spending more money than he's bringing in," Chin stated as the team continued to review what they knew.

Ben Kokua spoke up, "The word from my sources is that our senator likes to play cards with the highest of stakes."

"Gentlemen," Steve said, "do we have any doubt that our senator has a gambling addiction?"

Three detectives shook their heads no. "How do we get him to admit it?" Ben asked.

"That's the problem," Steve admitted.

Chin thought aloud, "We've known for a while that there's a gambling circuit in the city that caters exclusively to high-rollers with reputations to protect. If we told Bennett what we know, do you think he would be willing to use the good press of helping us close down this ring to counter the scandal of his addiction?"

Danny shook his head. "Not a chance. The scandal would still ruin him and Bennett isn't going to admit that this is going to come out sooner or later. He's going to cling to the hope that he can solve his problem without the press ever finding out. That is, until the day they do."

Chin privately admitted that Danny was right, but that didn't make Bennett's stubbornness in denying his problem any easier to deal with.

Jenny Sherman, Five-O's dutiful secretary, pushed open the door. "Sorry to interrupt. Chin, your wife is on the phone and she says it's urgent."

Steve motioned for Chin to use the phone on his desk.

Chin wasted no time in doing so. "Lin, what's wrong?"

"_Alia. Her school called to say she never showed up for classes after I dropped her off."_

"She skipped; she's done this before," Chin replied, trying to remain calm. The last time his daughter skipped school it was to marry a criminal. He tried to not think of what trouble his eldest daughter could be getting into now.

"_It's more than that, Chin. Some money is missing. I think…"_ Lin's voice cracked. _"I think she's leaving us."_

Chin could hear the pain in his wife's voice, the pain that both of them felt. "Lin, even if we know she's gone I can't report her missing for twenty-four hours and even then…" He left the rest of the sentence unspoken. He'd been about to say that because Alia was eighteen and a legal adult that things would be more difficult but to them what difference did age make? Alia would always be their baby.

"Call her friends, check around," Chin ordered. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

Hanging up the phone, Chin saw the concerned looks on his friends' faces. None of his co-workers needed to ask which child the phone call was about. They all knew of his troubles with Alia.

"Go home, Chin," Steve ordered softy.

Chin nodded his thanks as he raced out the door. There had been a wall between father and daughter ever since Alia had fallen in love with Rono Vidalgo. Chin had held out hope that in giving his eldest daughter time and space, she would come to see that he had responded in the way he had because of his love for her. The father in Chin ached deeply to see her in so much pain, to know that his baby girl was a widow at eighteen, to know that, to save his daughter's life, he had been forced to act more like a cop than a father when Alia needed her father the most.

Now Alia was gone and Chin couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:** **Running **

Alia stepped off of the city bus in a much seedier section of Honolulu than where she had started. It had been easy to act like she was heading for class and then, as soon as her mother had driven away, to walk down the street to closest bus stop.

Looking up and down the street, Alia checked her bearings and looked for the building she knew housed a bar that was a favorite of Koa Vidalgo. She had come here once before with Rono when he needed to drop something off for his brother and hadn't stayed long. However, the single visit had been enough, as Alia recognized the green window shutters. Crossing her fingers, she walked through the door.

Her luck paid off and Alia recognized Koa sitting by the back wall with a group of friends. Her brother-in-law spotted her almost immediately and called out, "You're never going to convince the bartender that you're of age with that backpack."

Alia knew she was here to get Koa's help, but she was unable to keep her voice from sounding cold as she replied, "I'm not here for a drink."

Koa didn't sound any happier to see her either. "Look, Kelly, you're not welcome here."

Anger flashed in her eyes as Alia shot back, "It's Vidalgo or have you forgotten that I am your sister-in-law?"

"Your father?"

"Doesn't know I'm here and the only way he'll find out is if you tell him."

Koa flinched as he realized what his sister-in-law was implying. "How can you trust me?"

"Because you owe me. Ratting out your brother got you a deal. Now use that life you earned with your brother's blood to help his wife."

Koa leaned back in seat and shrugged his shoulders as he attempted to regain control of the conversation. "It's not my fault the only solid evidence they had was on Rono and Bertie."

"It was only because you told them that they knew where Rono was."

"Alia, why are you here? Rono's dead. This isn't a place for the daughter of a cop."

"Maybe I don't want to be the daughter of a cop anymore." Realizing that arguing was getting her nowhere, Alia changed tactics. "I'm leaving, Koa, and I need your help."

"I don't have any money to give."

"I don't need your money," Alia stated firmly. "I need a place to lay low until I can get enough money to get off this island."

Koa seemed to be considering her proposition when one of his friends nudged him and said, "You could send her to Ryder's."

Koa sighed and gave in. "Alright, Alia. I guess I owe you one, but one is all you're going to get."

"I understand."

"Rono and I were good friends with this guy in Pearl City. Tell him who you are and he'll let you crash at his place for a while." Koa then jotted down an address and handed it to Alia, who took the paper and swiftly left.

* * *

><p>"No answer," Chin said as he hung up the phone.<p>

"I wish I knew how Tim can spend so much time out with his friends with all those classes he's taking," Lin replied, her attempt to lighten the mood failing due to the concerned tone of her voice.

For the past several hours, Chin and Lin had checked every place that Alia could conceivably be if she hadn't run away. Lin had called the parents of all of her daughter's friends to see if they knew anything, and Chin had visited all of her favorite spots around town. While out, he had learned that someone in Five-O had unofficially spread the word that Alia had run off so the day had been full of HPD officers reporting in that they hadn't seen her. Calling their eldest son, Tim, was more to check another possibility off of their list, because the chances were very slim that Alia would have confided in her older brother. Alia had steadfastly refused to talk about Rono with anyone in the family. But Chin would still call again later, just in case.

Chin exchanged a worried look with his wife; they had been searching all day and were running out of places to look. Oahu wasn't that large of an island, but it wasn't difficult for someone to disappear if they wanted to and by now it was very clear that Alia wanted to.

The only source of comfort Chin had was that Alia had stolen the money. That meant that, at least for today, she wouldn't be hungry or without a roof over her head or worse…

Chin tried not to think about the worse case scenarios: twenty-five years in law enforcement meant that he had already seen them all. The truth was that he knew there were a couple of other places for them to look, but he did not want to mention them in front of his wife and cause her to be even more anxious than she already was. He would wait until Alia was officially missing before checking the morgue and the hospitals. Though, when Chin thought about it, it wouldn't hurt to call Bergman and ask him to be on the lookout.

Chin reached again for the phone when the sound of the school bus told him that some of his other children were home. Four teenagers stepped off of the bus and for a moment Chin dared hope that somehow Alia was coming home. But not one of the girls was Alia.

Suzy burst through the front door, calling out, "Mom, I brought Kini home. Is that okay?" Then after seeing that her father was also home she asked, "What's wrong?"

Lin replied softly, "Kini, you can stay but we need to talk privately with our children for a moment."

"Sure, Mrs. Kelly," Kini said.

Chin watched the teenager leave the room. Even though Kini was Alia's age, she was best friends with the younger Suzy. While Alia and Suzy were close, the fact that they attended different schools meant that their friends were from different circles. Chin doubted that Kini would have any knowledge about his oldest daughter's disappearance.

Picking up the mood from her parents, Maria looked anxious. "What is it, Mom?"

Even though Chin knew how much Lin was hurting inside, she was a source of pure strength and care as she looked her children in the eye and gently broke the news. "Alia skipped school today. We found some money missing along with several days' worth of clothes. We believe your sister may have run away."

Following his wife's example, Chin matched his tone to hers. "I know you don't want to get your sister in trouble, but what she is doing can be dangerous. If she mentioned anything about leaving or where she was planning to go, we need you to tell us."

Gabriel spoke up first. "Alia doesn't talk to me."

Maria shook her head 'no'.

"She hasn't talked with any of us since…" Suzy paused and looked away from her father.

Suzy's look was like a dagger to her father's heart even though Chin would never tell his daughter that. Even though it had been Duke who had pulled the trigger, his children all believed that he had had a hand in Rono's death.

Chin tried to convince himself that his children were too young to understand how deadly Rono had been and how close Alia had come to losing her life that fateful day. However, the only thing his children understood was that Alia had run off with a boyfriend of whom their father disapproved and, when Dad had gone after that boyfriend, he had ended up dead. It was hard for all of them to comprehend that Rono had been a dangerous criminal.

Chin's heart ached. He loved each and every one of his children and it hurt to know that the difficult choices he had to make in his career were once again affecting the relationships that were the most important to him.

* * *

><p>"You can't catch me!"<p>

Moke wanted to scream as he chased after his little brother. He hated babysitting, especially when Pika was acting like a little terror. Right now, his brother had stolen his favorite comic book and had run into the forest outside of their neighborhood. "You are in so much trouble when Mom gets home!"

Pika stuck out his tongue in reply and ran further in the woods.

Saying a word that would have gotten his mouth washed out with soap if his mother had heard, Moke had no choice but to keep chasing his brother. The threat of anything happening to his precious comic book kept him moving.

Suddenly, Moke saw a small cottage in the distance that was surrounded by a large rose garden. His heart leapt into his throat as the pre-teen recognized where his brother was headed. "Pika, no! Don't go there!"

Sensing the urgency in his brother's voice, Pika miraculously stopped. Looking back at his older brother, he asked, "Why not?"

"The holoholona lives there."

"The what?"

"The beast," Moke replied. Then lowering his voice, he whispered. "He has the body of a man and the face of a horrible beast. Anyone who looks into that face runs away in terror."

"You're just trying to scare me."

"I've seen him, Pika. The holoholona. He is scary and mean too. He yelled at me and Henry when we played too close to his house. He hates people and especially us kids. I even heard that people who get too close disappear and are never heard from again."

Pika shuddered and Moke took advantage of his brother's fear, walking right up to him and snatching back his comic book. "Got it!"

"You tricked me!" Pika whined.

Moke laughed and then replied seriously, "The holoholona is real. If you are smart, you'll stay away. Now let's go home."

Pika looked back at the cottage and roses, unsure of whether he believed his brother or not. Moke could be bossy but he didn't sound like he was joking. Deciding that the roses freaked him out, Pika followed his brother home.

Unknown to them both, a bitter scarred young man watched them go.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: A Hiding Place**

Chin stood outside the Punahou School as the students gathered for the start of the day, trying to think like his eldest daughter. He knew where Lin had dropped Alia off and if he was going to have any chance of finding his daughter's trail, he needed to think rationally. He couldn't afford to let emotion get in the way. Desperate young women were prime targets for the worst sorts of criminals, and he would not let that happen to his daughter.

Thinking like a cop, Chin ascertained that the first thing his daughter would have needed to do was put some distance between her and the school. Alia didn't have a car, and unless she found someone else to drive her, her only other options would have been a taxi or The Bus. Chin figured it would have been difficult to find a taxi at a school at this hour so he headed towards the closest bus stop.

Chin didn't have to wait long until the next scheduled stop, a sign that bolstered Chin's hopes that Alia had taken this route. So when the driver pulled up and opened the door, the detective showed the driver his badge and a picture of his daughter. "Kelly. Five-O. Did this woman take your bus around this time yesterday morning?"

"Yeah," the driver answered with no hesitation. "I remember her. You could tell she was skipping. Still had her backpack on and everything."

"Do you remember where she got off?"

"The Ala Moana Mall."

_The Ala Moana Mall. _Chin bit his lip as he considered the implications of that news. The mall was a big problem. For if Alia had just skipped school to go shopping, she would have come home last night. No, his daughter was thinking like someone who wanted to hide. She knew her father would question the bus drivers so she went to a high traffic location where it would be almost impossible for Chin to track which bus his daughter had taken from there. He could drive over and ask around, but the chances of another driver recognizing his daughter's picture were slim.

Impatient with Chin's silence, the driver asked, "Look, man, is that all? I'm going to be behind on my route."

Chin nodded his thanks and stepped off the bus. He quickly decided that he would be better off trying to figure out what Alia's final destination had been than waste hours tracking down a trail that was quickly going cold. His daughter could travel to practically anywhere in Honolulu from the bus stop at the mall, so the question remained: where did Alia go?

She hadn't gone to any of her friends' homes as they had checked that first. Besides, Chin believed that the only friend to whom Alia might have turned would have been Pamela. But Pamela was dead and Rono had been an accessory to her murder. Why hadn't Pamela's death shown his daughter the type of man Rono really was?

Or had Alia known and decided to marry Rono anyway? What kind of father was Chin if he could raise a daughter who could overlook the murder of her best friend?

No, Alia was still in denial. She had to be. The alternative was just too painful to consider.

Alia had loved Rono. She had _married_ him. Chin had to accept this, as hard as it was. He had to think of his daughter not just as baby girl but as a grieving widow. So where would a young woman who had just lost the person she considered the love of her life go to ease her pain?

An idea can to him and Chin berated himself for not thinking of it sooner. However, he didn't have time to spend on regrets; he needed to get to airport and fast.

* * *

><p>She had been on the run for a day. She had arrived in Pearl City last night, but she had wanted to wait for daylight before making her decision. For even though she had gone to Koa for help, she didn't completely trust him.<p>

Summoning up courage, Alia approached a large two story house and knocked on the front door. It only took a few moments before the door was opened by a beautiful blond young woman. "Can I help you?" the woman asked.

"Um," Alia answered nervously. "Koa Vidalgo sent me. I'm looking for Michael Ryder."

"Wait a moment."

A sense of unease grew within Alia as the girl disappeared back into the house. _Easy, _she thought to herself. _The girl is probably Ryder's girlfriend._ There was no point in jumping to hasty conclusions. But…

Maybe she should go.

But before Alia could take a step, the door opened again and Michael stood in the doorway. Ryder looked to be about ten years older than Alia with short brown curly hair and green eyes that twinkled.

"Koa sent you."

"Yes, my name is Alia Vidalgo. I'm Rono's wife and I need a place to stay low for a couple days."

Ryder's eyes traveled up and down her body as if studying her. What clues he was looking for, Alia had no idea. However, it didn't take long for Ryder to give an answer, "I heard Rono had a girl. I'm sorry to hear about his death. Any member of the Vidalgo family is welcome here."

Alia smiled. "Thank you."

One of the first things Alia noticed as she stepped into Ryder's house was that it was evident that a lot of people lived here. And as Ryder gave her the tour she realized that the inhabitants were a lot of young woman and a few young men. A tiny alarm bell started going off in her head, and Michael seemed to notice her growing unease.

"As you can see, you aren't the only person who has come here looking for a place to stay. I serve as a boarding house of sorts for the wait staff at a local club. So you'll find that we keep late hours."

Michael's words made sense. Waitresses didn't make a ton of money and would need a cheap place to stay. Then when Alia discovered that she would have her own, albeit small, room most of her suspicions eased.

Yet, in the back of her head, Alia could hear her father urging her to leave, telling her that she wasn't safe, that she didn't know anything about this man. Well, Alia was tired of living her life according to her father's rules. She was ready to be her own woman. She would stay.

At least for one night.

* * *

><p>It had taken Chin longer to get to Kauai than he had wanted. But, when he pulled up to the Makani Air Church in a borrowed jeep, he feared that his haste would mean nothing in the end. The place looked deserted.<p>

As Chin walked across the grass, he saw the white church and cabins, and the beautiful mountains; the whole scene spoke of a peace that ran counter to his memories of the last time he stood in this place. But then he spotted Rono's plane sitting on the runway and the illusion of peace shattered as the memories came rushing back. For he didn't have to close his eyes to see Rono threatening his daughter or to see his daughter weeping over her husband's body.

Each step was painful. For each step brought back memories he wished he could forget.

Chin looked into the church and discovered that it was empty. As he headed towards the cabins, towards _the _cabin, he stopped by a makeshift memorial. A wooden cross was surrounded by flowers and other mementoes. Father Jack's parishioners had created it to remember the good man.

The detective bowed his head to pay his respects. The anger he had initially felt toward the priest for officiating the wedding had disappeared as he had watched the Father give his life to save his daughter's. If only all men could be so honorable.

Anger simmered within Chin as he stood over the memorial. What was the matter with his daughter? Rono had shot and killed Father Jack right before her eyes! He helped plant the bomb that had killed Pam! He had threatened to kill her! And yet Alia loved him. What was a father to do?

The grieving father moved on and entered the cabin. He tried not to think about what had happened in this place, but he failed. His daughter had consummated her marriage in that bed. At that moment, a sudden thought hit him. Could Alia be pregnant? Had that been what triggered her need to run away? Had she believed that they would force her to give up the child?

Chin told himself that it didn't matter if Alia was pregnant. He just wanted his daughter back. If a grandchild came along sooner than he had hoped then he would love and care for that child the same way he cared for his own. Children didn't control the circumstances of their birth.

Stepping back outside, he began the slow process of checking every cabin. But his initial assessment had been correct. The camp was empty. Alia was not here.

The father and cop had failed again.

* * *

><p>Alia had never realized that music could be this loud or that this many people could squeeze into one living room. One thing was sure though: Michael certainly knew how to throw a party.<p>

As she danced, she wondered just how long she could continue living in this wonderland. She had already stayed three nights and the other inhabitants were friendly enough and no one bothered her when she retreated to her room. The problem was that she feared she would soon wear out her welcome. Her one attempt to wander outside the house to find a job ended quickly when she spotted two policemen chatting on a nearby corner. She had been too frightened to leave ever since.

The song ended and Alia separated from her partner and turned to find something to drink.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Michael asked as he draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, thank you."

"Have a drink."

Alia hesitated as she looked at the dark liquid in the shot glass. She had experimented a little bit with alcohol, but she had never drunk more than a couple sips at a time; she hadn't been fond of the taste.

_You're still trying to be Daddy's good little girl._

She grabbed the shot and downed it in one gulp. The liquid burned as it traveled down her throat, but she smiled anyway as she handed the empty glass back to her host. She was no longer under her father's roof. She was going to enjoy this party to the fullest.

Two more shots and a couple of beers later, Alia was having a blast. All of her worries had disappeared as she danced on the floor with Michael by her side. As the music slowed down, his hands began to run up and down her sides as he pressed against her body. It felt good, really good. When Michael's lips kissed hers, her body responded. A small part of her mind whispered that she was making a mistake, but her brain felt fuzzy and the rest of her body was on fire. He smiled as they broke apart, his eyes full of desire.

As Michael pulled her into his bed, never once did she consider that she was doing something that she would later regret.


	5. Chapter 4

**Four:** **Selling Her Soul**

Alia woke slowly, feeling the light touch of satin sheets against her bare skin. She didn't want to get up. She didn't want this moment to end. There was no better feeling than sharing a bed with her husband. "Rono…" she whispered as she reached out her hand to caress his skin, but her husband wasn't there.

Alia sat straight up, concerned, but as the light from the window assaulted her eyes she quickly closed them. However, it was too late as the beginnings of a headache began to form. Plus, her brain wasn't working right; trying to think felt like she was wading through mud. But, after a few moments, she was able to recall a few important things: this wasn't the camp. Rono wasn't here. Rono was dead. Five-O had killed him.

But if she wasn't with Rono then what was she doing naked in an unfamiliar bed in a strange room with an aching head?

"Hey, babe," a voice called out from across the room.

Slowly opening her eyes, Alia spotted a man in the doorway to the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Michael was his name. She was staying at his place. She had slept in his bed.

Memories of last night cut through the haze in her brain. The dancing, the drinking, Michael inviting her upstairs.

_Oh God, what have I done?_

"Here, drink this," Michael said, as he sat on the edge of the bed and lifted a glass of water to her lips. As she drank greedily, he asked, "First hangover?"

Alia grunted.

The bed shifted as Michael moved closer. She was racked with guilt when she noticed the way in which he was looking at her and she remembered the ease with which she had let him pull her into his bed. Rono wasn't even cold in the ground and she was already replacing him. What in the world had she been thinking?

Michael draped an arm around her shoulders and leaned in to nibble her neck. Alia tensed, but she didn't pull away. He had gotten a whole lot farther last night.

"I talked with my boss," he whispered into her ear. "He's willing to offer you a job as a waitress at the club. Do you want it?"

She needed a job. There was no question about that. But why was Michael offering her this job now? Was it because she had slept with him? Was that all she was to him, a whore?

She didn't have to accept. She did have another choice. She could get dressed, walk out the door, and go home. But that would mean facing her father. Going back to the life she hated. Being forced to forget Rono and their love.

No. She wouldn't go back. She couldn't. She refused to lie to her father and admit that he was right. She was a grown woman, capable of making her own choices. She would do whatever was necessary to survive. After all, if sex was the price for this job then she might as well accept. She had already paid the piper.

Faking a smile, Alia met Michael's eyes. "When do I start?"

* * *

><p>Chin slowly worked his way through a large pile of correspondence, trying to lose himself in his job. He had returned to the office this morning as he couldn't afford to keep burning vacation days, but also because he was in desperate need of the distraction.<p>

He and Lin had had a difficult discussion last night and they had come to the conclusion that Alia probably wouldn't be found until she decided that she wanted to be found. And that hurt. It hurt because he knew how hard HPD had searched. His daughter had to have gone to great lengths to avoid discovery.

_She's depressed. She's in denial_, Chin told himself. But that mantra didn't help. His daughter was hurting and she had decided that she wanted nothing to do with the family who loved her. He wished that Alia had instead chosen a path that would have just punished him. Lin didn't deserve this. No mother did.

Chin forced his attention back to the pile of letters on his desk. Security inspected all incoming correspondence of local politicians. It was they could note any threatening letters and remove any unsafe substances that might do any of the influential figures harm. Since Senator Bennett was still refusing to cooperate with their investigation, Steve had pulled rank and gotten Five-O assigned to inspecting his official mail.

Now it was Chin's job to discover if there were any clues to be found in the daunting stack. So after pulling on a pair of gloves, he went to work.

An hour later, he had sorted most of the mail into several stacks. The largest pile was letters from constituents asking the senator to vote a certain way or advocating for a specific cause. There was also the expected pile of hate mail; however, there was nothing serious or suspicious in those letters. No, the threatening letters were in a small stack that Chin would give to Bennett's security staff. There was also a pile of thank you notes and other friendly correspondence and finally, a pile of the just plain weird. But so far nothing that hinted at Bennett's gambling addiction.

The next letter had no return address and, when Chin slit it open, a playing card fell out. Immediately, his hopes were raised. The card was an ace of spades, but written on the card was a date for this Friday. Chin suspected that this was the date when the next payment was due.

Carefully flipping over the card with a gloved hand, Chin smiled as he saw a golden dragon on the back. He now knew who Bennett's tormenter was. There was only one place in Hawaii where one could get a hold of one of those cards: _The Dragon's Lair_ – an illegal casino run by a man known only as the Dragon. Five-O and HPD knew only rumors about the man in charge and all their attempts to locate the casino had failed. For the Dragon maintained an iron grip on his employees and all patrons were carefully screened. Retribution was swiftly dwelt out to anyone who threatened the operation or tried to back out of a debt. It was certainly not beyond the Dragon to break Bennett's arm. The state senator's power and influence would do him little good.

Inspecting the envelope again, Chin noted that it had been sent from a post office in Pearl City. Now, Chin wouldn't put it past the Dragon to purposely send his mail from a post office some distance from his operation. But they had searched all over Honolulu for the Dragon's casino with a fine toothed comb to no avail. Had they been searching in the wrong area all along?

Chin picked up the phone and dialed Che. They finally had a break. And while he doubted that there would be any fingerprints on the card or the envelope, they had to check. He would not let this break go to waste.

Friday was only three days away.

* * *

><p>It was almost four in the morning by the time Alia stumbled back into her small room at Ryder's. Michael hadn't been kidding when he said that the girls worked long hours. However, the waitressing job was exactly the position she needed to get herself out of this mess.<p>

Michael's boss was a man called the Dragon. She hadn't met him, but the staff had all spoken his name with reverence and a hint of fear. His club was actually an illegal casino that catered to some very high-rollers. The club's nature meant her likelihood of her running into her father or his friends while she was at work was practically nil. The Dragon's operation had given her the freedom she needed to work away from the eyes of the police.

The work itself wasn't too bad. For the first night, she had put on the fanciest dress she had ever worn and then followed another woman around as they delivered drinks and engaged in some friendly conversation with the customers.

Alia did not fail to notice the size of the tips that many of these men were leaving. Once she was out of training, she was hopeful that she'd earn a decent amount of cash in only a few short weeks. Her base salary would go to Ryder for providing room and board.

After stripping off her dress and washing off her make-up, Alia collapsed into bed, eager to get some much needed rest when she heard a light knock on her door. She looked up and saw Michael easing himself into the room.

Alia's breath caught in her throat. She knew why he was here. The question was: what should she do? Because last night she could almost excuse. She had been lonely and drunk and not completely aware of what she had been doing until it was too late. What excuse did she have tonight?

"I missed you upstairs," he whispered seductively into her ear, as he lay down beside her.

"I wasn't sure you wanted to," Alia rambled, unsure of what to do. "Last night I was drunk and I probably pushed myself on you…"

"Babe," Michael said gently, "last night was wonderful. And tonight promises to be even better."

Alia let Michael kiss her as she debated her options. What would Rono think if he saw her now? But, the truth was, Rono was dead. Loyalty to her husband wouldn't do her any good now. She needed money to get off the island, which meant she needed this job. She could push and find out if the sex was a requirement or she could give in and just be grateful that she had Michael's support.

When Michael pulled back, she knew that there was no saying 'no'. The lust in his eyes was unmistakable.

It didn't matter how much she regretted making this decision. She had to do whatever it took to escape her father. If it meant keeping Michael's bed warm for a little while longer, then so be it.


	6. Chapter 5

**Five:** **Hitting Rock Bottom**

It was Friday night and the place was packed. Alia was finally released from training and free to work without supervision. Yet, she found herself just going through the motions, forcing a smile on her face. She was exhausted. Her parents could walk through the front door and she doubted that they would recognize her now. Besides, her mother would have a fit if she saw her wearing a dress with a neckline this low. But she had to admit that the reveling dress helped her bring in nice tips.

A hand gripped her right shoulder causing her to spin around. Many of the customers had wandering hands and she had to be firm, but polite in order to discourage their advances while still remaining in their favor. However, to her relief, the hand belonged to one of the other waitresses. Stephanie was her name, just Stephanie; all the girls were on a first name only basis.

Stephanie smiled gently. "Late night last night?"

"Yeah," Alia mumbled.

"Look, I know it's hard, but I promise you it will get better."

Alia shrugged. She had no time to waste on empty words.

The other girl seemed to read her mind. "In a couple days we'll get a new girl and your nights will become a whole lot less busy. Once you start getting a full night's sleep, you'll find that the job's not that hard."

Alia understood the words that weren't being said she asked, "Is that what happened with you?"

"Honey, that's what happened with all of us."

A past version of Alia would have been insulted at the realization that she was just the latest plaything, but her current self just felt relief. There was an end in sight. And, once she saved up enough money, she would be able to leave these islands and never return.

Stephanie took her order from her. "Why don't you go take a quick breather? I'll cover for you."

"Thanks," Alia said and quickly left the floor for the staff area in the back. But as she walked across an empty store room she heard harsh voices headed her way. Fearful that she would get in trouble if she was spotted, she ducked behind a stack of crates.

Two bouncers escorted a frightened white man wearing an expensive suit and a sling on his arm into the room. A few seconds later, the door across the way opened and a short Korean man entered the room.

Alia bit her lip. That man was her boss, the Dragon, and she was positive that she wasn't supposed to be here.

She should leave, sneak quietly out the way she came in, but she couldn't. She was trapped.

The Dragon spoke first. "I thought I made it clear what would happen if you missed another payment. Did my last lesson fail to make it clear how serious I am?"

"No…" the man stammered. "No, sir. If I had the money I would pay you. It's just my manager noticed the money missing from political accounts. I couldn't take more without raising suspicion."

The Dragon's voice dropped to a harsh whisper, but Alia was still able to hear every word. "Am I hearing you correctly? You are saying your career is more important than your debts?"

"I…"

"I have no further use for a man who refuses to pay his debts. You hide behind your position. But no one is beyond my power." Then after signaling to his bouncers, the Dragon turned and left the room.

"No. No! Please! I'll pay!"

The man was forced to his knees by one of the large men while the other took out a gun, attached a silencer and placed it up against his victim's skull.

A few seconds later, Alia watched another man die before her eyes.

* * *

><p>Another day of frustrations and failures weighed heavily on Chin's heart as he looked forward to another sleepless night. The playing card had given them no further information. Bennett's debt was due today and the State Senator had eluded his tail. Steve had HPD patrolling the streets of Pearl City, but they were going to have to be lucky to catch their prey tonight.<p>

Likewise, there had been no progress in finding Alia. HPD kept their eyes open, but they couldn't keep up the intense search from earlier in the week. They had to move on to other tasks.

Chin felt guilty, because the more time that passed, the more he found himself focusing on his day-to-day responsibilities. But what else could he do? Regular life had to go on. There were six other children still at home to care for.

Chin stepped inside Amy's and Tilda's room. Amy was still downstairs with Lin, but Tilda was lying in bed, looking at him with bright beautiful eyes. In spite of all his worries, Chin smiled as he asked, "Did you say your prayers?"

"Yes, I asked God to bring my sister home. When's Alia coming home?"

"I don't know, sweetheart."

"But how will she live on her own?"

Six years old and not afraid to ask the questions that Chin asked himself privately every hour since Alia had disappeared. Even though Tilda was so young he knew he couldn't lie to her. "I don't know. That's why I'm trying very hard to find her."

Sitting up, Tilda hugged her cat stuffed animal tightly and whispered, "I'm scared, Daddy."

Chin sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I'm still here. I will never leave you and I will do my best to find Alia."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Fighting back the tears that threatened to flow, Chin helped Tilda lay down and then he tucked in his youngest child and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

Then turning his gaze from his youngest to the stars shining brightly outside, Chin thought of his daughter whom he would give anything at that moment to kiss goodnight. _I love you, Alia. No matter where you go or what you do I will always love you. _

* * *

><p>Out of breath and scared out of her mind, Alia pushed through Ryder's front door and stumbled into his living room. She had barely managed to get out of the <em>Lair <em>without anyone noticing her and, as soon as she was free, she had run straight here.

She had nowhere else to go.

Michael looked up from the couch. "Hey, babe, why aren't you are at work?"

"Michael, we need to talk."

"What's wrong?"

"I saw…" Alia hesitated. She had slept with this man, but how well did she really know him? Though what other choice did she have? She had to trust someone. Michael surely cared for her. "I saw the bouncers kill a man! I can't go back. If they knew that I saw, they'll kill me too!"

"Okay, babe, calm down," Michael reassured her. "I'll get you out of here. Go pack your things and I'll grab the car."

Grateful that she had found an ally, she ran up the stairs to her room. It didn't take long to throw everything she owned in a backpack along with the rest of her parents' money and several days worth of tips hidden on the bottom. She debated changing out of the cocktail dress, but she didn't have time. Michael told her to hurry!

She rushed back down the steps in time to see Michael hang up the phone. An accusation formed on her lips, but Michael spoke before she managed to get a word in. "I called the boss. I told him you were sick. That way they won't wonder why you skipped out on the rest of your shift."

Relief filled Alia. Michael hadn't betrayed her. "Thank you."

"Let's go."

Scared half to death, Alia kept a white-knuckled grip on her bag as she followed Michael to his car. They traveled in silence as he drove out of the city. But when they rounded the corner onto a deserted section of country road, the car came to a stop.

Alia's heart stopped. She couldn't imagine why they would have stopped, at least not any good reasons.

"Get out," Michael ordered.

"What? Why?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"I said get out of the car." A small handgun that suddenly appeared in his hand reinforced the order.

Alia gasped as she quickly obeyed. Michael had betrayed her! But as she stepped out onto the grassy hill, she slipped. High heels and the outdoors were not meant to mix. She quickly stood back up and slung her backpack across her shoulders. She couldn't afford to lose it. That was, if Michael let her live.

Michael also excited the car, his gun still pointed straight at her. "You girls are all the same," he taunted, "young, desperate, _easy_. You really thought I would choose you over the Dragon? It's my job to watch over you and get rid of anyone who threatens our operation."

As Alia stepped back in fear, she stumbled again, but this time her right heel slipped off her foot. "But Rono was your friend!"

Michael flicked the safety off. "I don't know what Rono was thinking getting mixed up with a girl like you. You don't have what it takes to survive in this world."

Grabbing her shoe, Alia didn't hesitate; she threw it right at Michael. He jerked back and his gun went off, the shot going wide. She quickly grabbed her other heel and threw it so he couldn't get off a second shot before dashing into the forest.

Her feet screamed at her as she ran barefoot over rocks and roots and sticks. Branches whipped her face as she ran. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that she put as much distance between her and Michael as possible. If Michael caught her, he would kill her. And no matter how bad her life was, Alia wasn't ready to die.

She ran faster and longer than she ever had in her life when she stumbled into a clearing next to a small cottage. She didn't have time to knock on the door. Michael could be right behind her! So she dove into one of the many rose bushes that surrounded the house, ignoring the thorns that dug into her flesh.

For a few blessed moments, she dared hope that she had lost her pursuer, but all too soon Michael jogged into the yard. His hand rested on his gun as he scanned the premises.

Alia didn't even dare breathe.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: The Man Who Grew Roses**

Leon turned off the TV in disgust. There was nothing on. Though to be fair to the producers, it was one o'clock in the morning. However, that excuse did little to alleviate his foul mood. A few years ago, he would have thought that the night was still young, partying and drinking with his friends until dawn. Now he lived alone with the voices on the TV as his only companions.

No friends came anymore. No girls warmed his bed. He couldn't even find solace in the bottle; the alcohol interfered with the medications he took for the pain. He had built his whole social life around football. When he could no longer play, his whole world had fallen apart. He couldn't stay in school and get a degree. He was only passing classes because his professors weren't allowed to fail him. If he had stayed in school, he would have had to start studying. And studying was never his thing.

No, when he was discharged from the hospital, he used what was left of his inheritance to buy this cottage where he could be alone. Where he wouldn't have to put up with all the whispers and the stares. Though part of him wondered why he bothered getting out of bed each morning. There seemed little point in living this half-life.

The depression then threatened to engulf him only lessened when Leon glanced out his window at the rose garden outside. The roses were the only thing that kept him going. Because when he looked at their beauty, when he contemplated their elegance, anger flowed through his veins and helped him feel again.

The roses reminded him of _her._

He would never forget how that bitch had tricked him. How she had ruined his life. The roses wouldn't let him forget about the evil done to him and the wickedness of the female gender. For it didn't matter how beautiful and innocent they looked, all woman had thorns that would pierce him if they could.

Women were all deceivers and haters of men. Oh, they acted sweet and helpless when it suited them, but they were, without a doubt, the most ruthless creatures on earth.

The anger continued to grow within him and told him that he couldn't end it all, because ending it all would mean letting _her _win. And the one thing that hadn't changed after the accident was that Leon Forest never ever let someone else win.

He'd show her. Yes, he would. He had grown the best rose garden on the islands and his roses were sold in all the upscale floral shops. He had survived her trap and he would keep on living and one day he would have his revenge.

The sound of footsteps and a raised voice interrupted thoughts. _Damn_ _kids_.

The local kids would often poke around his house on a dare. He knew what was said. Come and see the holoholona, the beast, the man with no soul. Well, if those kids wanted a scare, he would give them one. Grabbing a baseball bat, Leon stepped outside.

He had guessed wrong. There was no group of kids on a dare or drunken teenagers stumbling around, but only a single man who was prowling around his garden.

"You!" Leon hollered.

The man quickly turned, but not before Leon caught a glimpse of a gun before the intruder tucked it into his waistband. "Sorry, to intrude, but I am looking for a thief. She stole something valuable from me and I saw her headed in this direction."

While the gun did concern him, Leon refused to be intimidated on his own property. Especially by some flop of a man who tried to sweet talk him like he was blind. Taking two steps, Leon walked into a moonlight portion of his yard. "There is no one here. Leave my property now."

The intruder gasped when he saw Leon's face. And Leon had to admit that the one benefit of his scars was that it did make him appear dangerous. He didn't care if it was the burns, the disfigured nose, or a head that was partly bald that caused the man's fear. But it did the job and now that the man had seen it, he couldn't leave fast enough.

"I'm sorry, man. I'll go."

Leon watched the man scamper off into the woods. He would keep an eye out as he didn't think that he would go far. Not if he believed that the object of his hunt was in this area. Though he could have warned the man that catching her wouldn't be worth it. Women never were.

He turned to go back inside the cottage when he spotted a few broken branches on the ground. His anger returned with a fury. _The blasted man had messed up his roses. _

Storming over to the ruined bush, he carefully pushed aside a branch and saw the thing he hated the most. A young woman.

She yelped as he discovered her, but she retained enough sense to rise and come out into the yard where he could look at her, though her eyes constantly darted around the yard in fear. It seemed that the man had been telling the truth. He was looking for this girl.

"Help me," she begged. "If that man finds me here, he'll kill me."

Leon remained silent as he looked at the girl. She looked like a whore. She was wearing a ripped cocktail dress, that would have revealed plenty even before the damage. Her feet were bare and bleeding. Her arms and face were covered with scratches, and her black hair had partially escaped from a tight bun. A schoolgirl's backpack was slung across her shoulders. That didn't make any sense, but it wasn't his job to make sense of this woman and her problems.

She was trembling and, when their eyes met, she gasped in fear and quickly looked down. Leon shook his head. A woman. It had to be a woman. And this one looked desperate, which meant that she was dangerous. He needed to get rid of her and fast. "I'll call the police," he growled.

She began to panic. "No, _please_! No cops."

"Fine then," he snapped, quickly losing patience with the whole situation. "Just go!"

"Can't you just hide me for the night?"

Who did this girl think he was? There was no way that he was letting her stay within sight of his cottage. "You can't stay!"

Her voice gained that whiney tone that always drove him mad. "I can't leave. They'll kill me!"

"Go away!"

"Please," she cried. "I'll do anything!" Then reaching up she started to undo the ties on her dress.

Offended, Leon roared, "What do you think I am? A beast?"

The girl jumped back and looked ready to bolt. However, he wasn't ready to let her go now. Not after what she had just done.

"Look at me!" he ordered.

Shaking, the girl gulped and then forced herself to meet his eyes.

"What is your name?"

Her voice was a whisper. "Alia Vidalgo."

Seeing the ring on her finger, he asked, "Where's your husband?"

"Dead."

"You're young to be a widow."

"You're young to be hermit," Alia shot back.

How dare her! How dare she come onto his property, hide in his garden, dare to insinuate that he was a beast controlled by sexual urges and then judge his lifestyle! Well, he would show her. He'd prove her wrong. So caught up in his rage, he barely even realized that he was about to do the one thing he swore he would never do: give aid to a desperate woman.

"I told you, I'm not an animal! So stay! Sleep on the couch and I'll figure out what to do with you in the morning."

"Thank you. Thank you. You won't regret this."

Leon snapped his mouth shut. He was regretting it already. However, this would just be for one night. He'd turn her out in the morning. And there was no way he was giving up his bed. She could sleep on the couch!

Besides, he would not let himself forget. It didn't matter how beautiful or helpless she appeared. She was a woman. She had thorns and she would hurt him in the end. It was what all women did.

* * *

><p>The first ring woke Chin from his slumber. The second barely had time to register before he had snatched the phone off its cradle. He had learned to move quickly in order to avoid waking up his children.<p>

"Hello."

"_Chin, it's Steve."_

The tone in Steve's voice told him this call wasn't about Alia, so he asked about the other most likely reason for his boss could be calling. "Where's the body?"

"_Dumped in an alley in Pearl City. Chin, its State Senator Bennett."_

Chin let out a low whistle. The political repercussions from this would be huge. Why hadn't that man agreed to work with them? He would have ruined his reputation, but saved his life. Now, both were lost. What a waste. "I'm on my way."

Steve gave him the address and hung up. Lin rolled over and looked at her husband. Years of experience meant that she didn't need to listen to the other side of the conversation to know what was going on. "Should I expect you back in time for breakfast?"

Chin leaned in and gave his wife a quick kiss. "Not today. Don't wait on me for dinner either."

"That big?"

"Lead story on the morning news big."

Lin's eyes widened, but she didn't press. She knew that she would have to find out the details when the rest of the island did.

After changing into a suit, Chin exchanged one more kiss with the most wonderful woman in the world. "Love you."

How he wished that he had time to linger, but he did not. So without another word, he rushed out the door to discover just how Senator Bennett had met his untimely fate.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Nightmares**

When Alia opened her eyes, it took several fear-filled moments before she remembered where she was and why. However, once the memories returned, she began to berate herself. She was a fool. Trusting that Michael was a good man simply because her brother-in-law said so. The same brother-in-law who betrayed his brother in order to save his own skin. Then believing that a man would choose her over his employer simply because he slept with her. And once she was freed from both men, she threw herself upon the mercy of a stranger! And not just any stranger, but a man and a beastly looking one at that.

She should leave. Now. Before her host woke up and decided that he too had something to gain by betraying her. But as Alia rose, her feet screamed out in pain. They were scratched and blood-caked, and her exposed arms and legs looked just as bad. She was in no shape to keep on running.

Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her backpack and limped toward the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door and went to look at herself in the mirror only to discover that there were none. That made sense; if she looked like the man who lived here, she wouldn't want to be reminded of that fact either. So she dug into her pack and took out the compact mirror she used to put on makeup. No surprise, her face was as scratched as her body and her hair had dirt and twigs in it.

She was going to regret not cleaning up last night, but she had spent all of her energy in that desperate dash through the woods and had simply collapsed the couch as soon as she was inside. However, she had to start somewhere so she turned on the shower and finally shed the dress she was wearing.

That once beautiful dress was now fit for rags, but Alia felt no regret as she threw it in the trash. She wanted to forget her time in the _Dragon's Lair _as fast as possible.

Stepping into the shower, she let the warm water send the top layer of dried blood and dirt down the drain, ignoring how the water caused some of her cuts to sting. The water had long turned cold by the time she finished scrubbing.

Raiding the medicine cabinet, she found some ointment to clean her cuts and then bandaged her feet. Finally, she changed into clean clothes and comfortable sandals. Her feet still hurt and she wouldn't be running for a couple days, but she could walk without a limp so she considered that progress.

It was like she was almost human again.

Alia stepped out into the open room and found her scarred savior standing over the stove, making breakfast. He didn't even look at her as he gestured with a spatula. "The door is that way," he said.

She knew better than to protest, but she was not going to just walk out that door. She walked up to one of the windows and carefully parted the curtain to look outside. The yard and the gardens appeared clear, but as she scanned the woods she spotted a flash of red. She couldn't tell what it was from this distance but she wasn't going to take any chances. "They're still out there!"

"Not my problem," Leon stated.

Alia turned toward her rude rescuer. She wanted to yell at him, but she needed his help. She was going to have to play this carefully. "You never told me your name."

"It's not important."

She remained firm. "I think it is."

"Fine, if it gets you out of my hair. Leon Forrest."

Choosing her words very carefully, Alia said, "Well, Leon, you are a part of this now. If they discover me here or find out that you hid me, they will kill you too. They can't risk that I told you about…" Alia paused. Despite her threat, she wouldn't put Leon in even more danger than he already was by telling him what she saw.

Leon looked furious as he stormed over and looked out the window. However, it didn't take long before he spotted their watchers. "As soon as they are gone, so are you."

"Understood."

It was weird. Leon was rude, antisocial, and appeared to have a temper that he was in constant danger of losing. Yet, she felt like she understood him. After all, he had made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing more than to get her out of his hair. Because his motives were clear, she felt safer at Leon's home than she had in a long time. At least for now.

* * *

><p>The media was already there by the time Chin pulled up to the scene. He knew that Steve would not be happy so he made sure to quickly push past the bystanders and join the other detectives in the alley.<p>

The body lay next to the dumpster and was already draped with a sheet. Steve preferred to not hide the body when he looked over a scene so that meant the sheet was for the media. Walking toward the body, Chin caught the tail end of Doc Bergman's report. "…the bullet appears to have come from a .45. From the powder burns on his forehead, I would say that he was shot execution style."

"Right," Steve mused, "and later dumped here."

"How can you be sure?" Chin asked.

"Look at the body."

Chin knelt down and lifted the sheet. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't this. Bennett was stripped naked. He was positioned flat on his back, but his hands were resting on his stomach, holding his wallet.

"Money in the wallet?"

"Yes," Steve said. "This is a message. The Dragon wanted us to know that this was no mugging."

Danny spoke up, "But why kill him? If Bennett is dead, he can't pay his debts."

"There was no money left, Danno. This was the Dragon's way of salvaging what he could while making it known that no one is untouchable."

"What do we do now, Steve?" Ben asked.

"Retrace our State Senator's steps. After he shook his tail, he went somewhere. Wherever he went, I suspect that was where he was killed. Ben, assist Che and finish up here. Danno, get the press out of here so we can move the body. Chin, interview the officers who were watching Bennett. We need to identify an area to search. If anyone needs me, I'll be debriefing the Governor."

* * *

><p><em>Alia was content as she lay in the sand, listening to the waves hit the shore and the songs of birds announcing the start of a new day. She was at peace. How long had it been since she had felt so content?<em>

"_Morning, beautiful." _

_Alia smiled as she looked up at the only man she would ever love. "Good morning, Rono."_

_With a grin, Rono pulled her to feet and twirled her around as they began to dance and run down the beach, leaving only footprints in their wake. When they stopped to catch their breath, all Alia could think about was how safe and secure she felt with Rono's strong arms wrapped around her. But when Rono leaned in to kiss her, that illusion shattered._

_A shot rang out through the air and before she could even cry out, her love fell to the ground – blood staining his shirt._

"_No! No!" she screamed as she clutched the fallen body. It was happening again. Her husband was dying before her eyes. She was forced to watch helplessly as his life left his body._

_As she wept, Rono's corpse changed and suddenly, Alia was holding the body of Father Jack. The priest's eyes spoke of judgment as he clutched the crucifix on his chest. "You told me he had changed, Alia. You told me he had left his father."_

_Before she could answer, the body changed again and this time she was clutching the burned and barely distinguishable body of her best friend. Pam's eyes opened and bore into her friend's soul. "Do you forgive him, Alia? Do you forgive the man who did this to me?" _

"_Yes!" she screamed. "Yes!"_

Alia woke with a start, her throat raw from screaming. She was still on the couch; she was still hiding with a stranger whom she barely knew. It had just been a nightmare. However, that knowledge failed to stop the tears that flowed as she sobbed into pillow, her whole body shaking. "I forgive him! I forgive him! I forgive him!" As she continued to answer Pam's final question, those words became a mantra. She had to believe them. She had to.

Leon cracked open bedroom door and stood there, debating whether to step into the main room. That blasted female had awakened him with her screams. He couldn't believe that he had been foolish enough to let her stay another night. He wanted to yell at her, to tell her to be quiet or leave.

But something stopped him. It was clear that Alia was a woman full of pain. However, she was also in trouble and if he kicked her out, there was a good chance that she would end up hurt or worse. Damn that girl. He refused to be responsible for her death.

Cursing his soft will, he told himself that it was better to not get involved. He had already helped her out more than he should have. Besides, no one would want to wake up from one nightmare only to look at the face of another.

The sooner he got rid of this girl, the better.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Breaking Point**

By day three of their unplanned cohabitation, Alia and Leon had worked out a mutual living arrangement. They did not speak. Leon would spend most of the day tending to his roses, looking for signs that their watchers had moved on. Alia would stay inside with the drapes drawn tight. She cleaned and cooked a little to pass the time, but mostly she just sat, trying to lose herself in memories of better days.

However, after she finished washing the breakfast dishes, she knew that she needed to do something, anything, to keep herself busy. It was bad enough that nightmares continued to haunt her at night, but now in the quiet moments, she was beginning to hear Pam's final words, her last question to her. Alia couldn't deal with that right now.

Looking around the open living room with a determined eye, she spotted a dusty curio cabinet that was shoved into a corner. That would have to be the place to start. Even though the dust was caked on the top, it wasn't that difficult to clean. Though she did wonder why Leon kept this old thing. It was taking up a lot of space for something that was never opened nor used.

Curiosity got the best of her and after checking that Leon was still hard at work outside, she opened the cabinet doors. As Alia looked at the full shelves, it was like she was looking into a different world. The owner of the contents of this cabinet couldn't be the same man who lived in this house.

She spotted numerous trophies. Most were for football, though she spotted a few for track as well. She used a cloth to wipe off the dust, and there was no mistaking the name on the bottom of each award; these were Leon's trophies. He must have been some athlete.

Continuing her search, Alia began to open drawers, finding piles of newspaper articles in one and old uniforms in the other. She recognized the jersey on top. No one who lived in Hawaii would fail to recognize tell-tale green 'H' of the Rainbow Warriors.

Thoroughly intrigued, she began leafing through the newspapers and learned that Leon hadn't just been a member of the Rainbow Warriors, he had been a star cornerback! And from his picture, a handsome one as well.

After a glowing write-up of how Leon intercepted a ball for the winning play against their greatest rivals, the articles came to an abrupt halt. Alia began searching through the other drawers, but this pile was it. There were no other articles. That must have been his last game.

Why did the articles stop? It looked like Leon's career had been suddenly cut short. Plus, she doubted that a gifted and committed player, like Leon appeared to have been, would have just suddenly quit playing for no reason. No, he must have been in an accident; most likely whatever event had given him those hideous scars. But what could have caused them? A car crash? A fire? She didn't know; those scars weren't like any she had ever seen before.

Alia was carefully putting the newspaper clippings away when she heard the door to the cottage open. "What do you think you are doing?" a loud and angry voice screamed from across the room.

Startled, she jumped back, the papers scattering all over the floor. Leon looked furious as he stormed towards her. "How dare you go through my things?"

Scared, Alia backed away. "Leave me alone!"

"Leave you alone?" Leon roared. "I didn't ask for you to come into my life! You're the one who barged in here like a damsel in distress, demanding that I save you. Well, I'm no prince charming and I have had enough of your sob story, your nightmares and your troubles. So get _out_ and never bother me again!"

Alia didn't wait to be told twice. Without a second thought, she dashed through the still open door and out into the woods. She ran until she could no longer see the house and the roses. Until she could longer hear the raging temper of the beast.

When she doubled over in order to catch her breath, Alia realized that she was in serious trouble. In her need to get away from Leon as fast as humanly possible, she had left the cottage with nothing more than the clothes on her back. Her backpack and all her money were still at Leon's. And she couldn't go back. Leon had made that abundantly clear. He had looked furious. He had sounded mad enough to kill.

But why? All she had done was look at some old newspaper articles. She thought that he would have been proud of his achievements. Look at what he had accomplished!

Unless, of course he didn't want to remember. Perhaps remembering was too painful.

Alia gasped. _Leon is just like me. But instead of running from his old life, he is determined to hide from it._ And her presence, her desire to learn more about the man she had thought was her protector had reopened old wounds. No wonder he had resented her presence from day one.

However, figuring out part of the mystery that was Leon Forrest didn't solve her biggest problem. She was alone. She had no money or supplies and she didn't have any idea where she was. There were powerful men who wanted her dead. And just like Leon, she wasn't ready to go back to her former life.

She wasn't ready to stop to running. Because running was what kept her sane. Running was what kept the pain of Rono's death from consuming her. Because when she was running she couldn't think, she couldn't see him die.

Well, she couldn't go back so that meant she had to keep moving forward. She had survived so far. She would just have to find another way.

Lifting her head high, Alia picked a direction and started walking. But she only got a few steps before a man she had only seen once before in her life jogged into the clearing. She screamed in terror as she looked into the cold, hard eyes of a murderer. She had watched him shoot a helpless man at the _Lair_ and she had no doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to do the same to her.

She was dead. And this time there was no escape.

* * *

><p>Chin sighed as he studied the board in front of him. Getting nowhere with written reports, he had decided to try to visualize it all on a map in an attempt to narrow down the area in which Bennett had disappeared, and most likely, was murdered. First he marked down the locations where the body was found, where Bennett's tail had lost him, and where an officer had picked up the car again, but without Bennett in it. That left him with half of Pearl City to cover and a search which was not at all feasible.<p>

So then he went through the painstaking work of contacting every officer on duty in Pearl City that night and noting their locations during the interval in which they had lost the car. While the results had not given him a blinking arrow that said look here, they had managed to narrow down the search area to a seven block radius. He could work with that.

The next step would be to check out the buildings in the area. The vast majority would be legitimate businesses or homes, but one would be a cover for the most prestigious casino in Hawaii. Thank goodness he had access to HPD's manpower, because this was going to take awhile.

The door to the office swung open with a bang and Chin looked up to see Ben hurry inside. "I got something," he announced as he headed toward Steve's office.

Chin and Duke followed Ben and saw McGarrett pouring through Bennett's financial statements once again in search of an elusive clue. The lead detective looked up at Ben as the detective approached, "What've you got?"

"Word on the street is that the Dragon's goons are out in force looking for a girl."

"A witness?" Duke asked.

"I think so. They're keeping this in-house, no descriptions circulating. But whoever she is, the Dragon wants her found and soon."

Steve stood. "Then we need to find her first."

"But, Steve," Chin asked, "without a description or a name, how can we find her?"

Steve held out a hand for silence and hit a button on his phone. "Jenny, I need you to set-up a press conference in two hours. I will have new information about the Bennett case."

"_On it, boss."_

"Thanks, love." Then Steve looked at his questioning detectives. "We can't find her. But we will make her a public offer of protection and hope that she will come to us. She has to know that on her own, she's dead."

Chin thought that Steve's reasoning made sense. He just hoped that whoever this girl was, she was wise enough to accept their aid. He didn't want to wake up to tomorrow to another unsolvable murder.

* * *

><p>Leon was shaking with rage as he looked at the remains of his former life. Who was that girl to come in here and upset his life? To reopen wounds that he had spent years trying to forget. Why hadn't he insisted that she either call the cops or leave? He should have never let her spend the night. She was a woman, she had thorns and, like all women, she had hurt him in the end.<p>

Leon knelt and began to pick up the scattered newspapers. He tried to not look at them, to think about the past they dutifully recounted, but a cover picture of him catching the interception that won the Fresno game caught his eye. The lead had simply read, _Hawaii's Hero._

A hero. They had called him that and more. That had been his ultimate moment of triumph. The moment when he had achieved everything that he had ever wanted. The moment he had become a star. But that moment had been all too short. For that game was the last game he had played before his whole world had fallen apart…

A loud womanish scream filled the air.

Leon froze. The girl was in trouble – again. As he looked down at paper in his hand, he realized that his former self, the one they called a hero, wouldn't have lifted a finger to save her. That man would have insisted upon her offer to share his bed as a condition for his help.

_Damn it._ Leon didn't know what sort of man he was now. But he did know one thing: he was no longer the man in the paper. He had changed. And even though he wasn't sure why, he couldn't just let her die.

So without another thought, Leon sprinted into the trees, heading as fast as he could in the direction he had heard the scream. He was probably going to show up too late.

But he had to try. He would truly be a monster if he didn't.


End file.
